Hydrocarbon vat-heater.



R. G. KIRKWOOD.

HYDROGARBON VATHEATER.

APPLICATION FILED Dnc. 5. 1912.

Patented .121116,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

llllllllllllllhIllllllIlilllllllfll l l i l llllllllllllllll Ill 4.

, INVENTOR Atty's R. G. KIRKWOOD. HYDROGARBON VAT HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 5, 1912.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT Gr. KIRKWOOD, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA; ASSIG-NOR TO TATE, JONES & COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIApA CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HYDROCARBON VAT-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6,1914.

T0 all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT Gr. KIRKWooD, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the Unitedl States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Hydrocarbon Vat Heaters, of which improvements the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to the heating of vats or kettles by means of atomized hydro carbons, such vats or kettles being adapted for use where high degrees of temperature are necessary or desirable, as for example in the melting of galvanizing metal.

The object of my invention is to provide a heater for the purpose described, which will be efficient in operation, and of which the kettle or vat will not be injured by intense localized heat from the blast of the burners.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, I have illustrated an embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 of the drawing is a plan view, partly in section, of the heater, the sectional portion being taken von the line I-I, Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III Fig. 1.

In the several figures like numerals are used to designate like parts.

The heating receptacle or vat 1 illustrated herein is of well-known construction, it being formed of steel plates suitably riveted together, the bottom portion being substantially'flat and the side and end walls substantially vertical. The vat rests upon the floor 2 of a containing chamber built of fire bricks or other suitable refractory material; and the side walls 3 and end walls 4 of said containing chamber form, with the outer side and end walls of said vat, a fire box 5 which completely surrounds said vat and extends the full depth thereof.

The burners employed for heating the vat 1 may be of any preferred form adapted to burn an atomized stream of hydro-carbons. As shown herein, the burners 8 are of the type wherein a stream of oil is atomized by a blast of steam or air. The oil is led to the several burners 8 (for it is essential that a plurality of burners be used in my vatheater) by means of an oil pipe system 9,

and the steam or' compressed air is led to such burners by the pipe system 10.

In order to obtain an intense heat from, and substantially a complete combustion of, the injected fuel without burning or otherwise injuring the vat, I provide a plurality of separate and relatively small combustion chambers 6 at the side of the fire box, one burner 8 being placed in each chamber, which is provided with an opening 7 for the reception of such burner and for the in-take of air. The streams of burning oil projected against the walls of said chambers heat them to a high temperature, which in turn effect a complete combustion of the oil. Preferably the burners 8 are so placed as to project their streams of atomizedpoil against the bottoms of the chambers 6, and baiie plates 11 or 12 are placed at the outer ends of the chambers which deflect the flames issuing therefrom upwardly through the fire box and prevent them from impinging directly upon the vat 1, which would result in an injurious burning thereof.

In the upper portion of the containing chamber walls 3 and 4 I form a flue 13, which preferably extends without interruption entirely around the receptacle 1, and which communicates with the fire box 5 through a plurality of openings 14. The flue 13 communicates with flues 15 Which in turn communicate with the stack flue 16 extending below, and, as far as possible, adjacent to the bottom of the receptacle 1.

When in operation, streams of atomized hydro-carbon issue from the burners 8 and carry air with them into the chambers 6, where combustion takes place. The burning streams strike successively the bottoms of the combustion chambers 6 and the baiiie plates 11 or 12, and then pass into the continuous fire box 5. 'Ihe hot gases of combustion flow through the wall openings 14, flues 13, 15 and 16 to a suitable stack or other means of creating a draft, not shown herein. In following this path of escape, the said gases of combustion are effective, first to heat the chamber walls 3 and 4 so that a minimum amount of heat can radiate from the fire box 5 through such walls, and secondly to heat the bottom portion of the heating receptacle 1.

It will be observed of my invention that, by using a plurality of burners and combustion chambers placed at suitable intervals around the heating receptacle, relatively small burners may be used, on account of Which (together With the inclined position of the burners and the baflie plate at the end of the combustion chambers) a complete combustion of the atomized oil Will be effected and the heat Will be very evenly distributed over the surface of the receptacle.

I claim as my invention:

In a galvanizing furnace, the combination of an elongate heating receptacle, a fire boX surrounding said receptacle, a plurality of separated combustion chambers substantially at the level of the bottom of said receptacle and communicating With and extending laterally from the bottom of said re box at its ends and sides, a burner for each combustion chamber adapted to project a stream of atoniized oil against the bottom thereof, bafie plates at the inner ends of said chambers,

and a flue leading from said re box.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT G. KIRKWOOD. Witnesses:

PAUL N. CRITCHLOW, Gr. G. TRILL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

